Dream Chaser
Nathalie The Dream Chaser to the Death Nathalie V. Lunar,(Nætəli Vi Lunər); (February 26, 1964-November 18 2002) was an American Track and Field and Cross Country athlete born in Concord, California. She specialized in long distances races and won gold medals in the 5000-meters and 10,000-meters at the ITAA Global Championship in Chuaba, 2002. She represented the United States at the 2000 Global Championship, where she was destined to win the 5,000-meter distance race. Unfortunately, she fell halfway through the race and got caught behind other runners, they spiked her leg with their shoes and pushed her to a fall that broke her leg. Nathalie was devastated after the race and she kept thinking about how she didn’t have the strength to get back up. This race was important to her and she felt like her world just ended from this one race. Nathalie was carried off the track and rushed to the hospital, and the doctors broke the news to her that she would never be able to run again. She was absolutely crushed but she insisted to get into shape and compete at the next Global Championship. She didn’t listen to any negative thoughts or the opinions of others, she had her mind set with what she wanted to do and there was nothing that was going to stop her. She woke up every day at the dawn of light and went on a run, where she was chasing after her dreams. She consistently did the same routine every day and never took a day off. Although many people called her crazy or told her that her dreams were too big, she never stopped believing in herself. Eventually, her persistence and hard work paid off when she qualified to the Global Championship in 2002. Once she lined up on the starting line, the adrenaline kicked in and as soon as the gun went off, she ran her heart out. Nathalie ran the last 400 meters of the race with her heart; this was where she took the lead and was able to outkick all her competitors which led her to win the 5,000-meter race. The very next day she hopped on the oval track to run the 10,000-meter race where she was able to cross the finish line before her competition once again. Nathalie was overjoyed and filled with excitement because she knew that she made it down in history as the first American-Mexican to bring home a Global Title in two events. She was overfilled with an unusual amount of excitement; and unfortunately, her heart stopped and she collapsed. Her body was in shock and after being rushed to the hospital, they were unable to revive her. She was later pronounced dead at the hospital but she will always be remembered as the woman who died accomplishing her dreams. Although the emotion of winning a Global Championship twice struck her as impossible, Nathalie would always say the words “I’M POSSIBLE.” Nathalie will go down in history as an (AWL) American World Legend of being the first American-Mexican to bring home a Global Title. Although she died chasing her dreams, her story reminds us all to never give up. Jennifer Sandoval